Top tips on how to cope with children
THE British Psychological Society’s Division of Educational and Child Psychology has published a number of tips for parents and carers facing the prolonged school closures.
These are:
Stress and anxiety in such an unusual and unpredictable situation is normal.
Children can sometimes believe they are responsible for events that are beyond their control – reassure them it is the adults’ job to keep them safe.
Friendships are key to maintaining resilience for children, so help them to maintain these relationships through phone calls, online communication, and writing letters.
Normalise the experience for young people by reassuring them there are lots of other people in the same situation right now.
Having a routine and structure helps children to feel secure in uncertain times, and involving them in creating this structure, perhaps visually, can be particularly helpful.
Don’t put too much pressure on doing academic work. Parents and carers are not teachers, and it is important to also spend time building relationships, enjoying shared activities and reassuring children.
Restrict access to rolling news coverage. While it’s important to keep up to date, constant exposure to news can be overwhelming for both adults and children.
Young people may be concerned about the announcement that exams will not go ahead as planned. Acknowledge the uncertainty, but reassure them a plan is being put together to make sure everyone gets the qualification they have worked towards.
Play is fundamental to the wellbeing and development of children of all ages, and a great way to reduce stress in adults.